Yemen’s Presidential Council Announces Major Military Offensive to Reclaim Houthi-Controlled Territories

Yemen’s Saudi-backed government has announced the launch of a new military campaign to reclaim all territories held by the Houthi militant group, even as the rebels make fresh advances on the ground, reportedly encircling a key government-held city.

Rashad al-Alimi, head of Yemen’s presidential council, stated in a Sunday announcement: “I announce today the start of military operations to retake the remaining territories of the republic and extend the authority of the state and its institutions across the entire national territory.”

This announcement sets an ambitious goal for the embattled government, which recently lost vast stretches of the country’s Red Sea coastline and strategic areas around the Bab al-Mandab strait—a critical chokepoint for international shipping—following a rapid offensive by the Iran-backed Houthis.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government has struggled to reverse this surge, even with military support from Saudi Arabia. In recent weeks, the Houthis have increasingly targeted Saudi territory, announcing on Sunday that they had struck oil infrastructure in the capital, Riyadh, and the eastern Khurais area, causing large fires.

The statement came just hours after the Houthis severed a vital supply route linking the besieged city of Taiz with the government’s interim capital, Aden, according to four security sources.

This Houthi advance followed days of heavy fighting in and around Taiz city.

“We were informed that the Houthis had taken control of the al-Safiya area, where they cut the main road and took control of the police station,” a local police source said.

Three Yemeni military sources also confirmed Houthi control over the area and the supply route, with traffic along the road halted and the group now surrounding Taiz city. They added that fighting in the area was ongoing.

Sources from both sides told AFP on Sunday that fighting in and around the western province of Taiz had killed more than 70 people over the past day.

Sources from the internationally recognized government reported that 34 government troops were killed—20 on the edge of Taiz province in neighboring Lahj—while Houthi military sources said 39 of their fighters were killed in clashes across Taiz and border areas with Lahj.

Taiz city itself remains under the control of government forces but has long been besieged from the north, east, and west by Houthi fighters, remaining one of the main fronts in Yemen’s long-running civil war.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on Sunday that the group launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi energy giant Aramco’s facilities in Riyadh and the eastern Khurais area, causing large fires.

The attacks were in retaliation for what the Houthis claimed were 50 Saudi-led air and missile strikes in Yemen over the past 12 hours.

There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi Arabia regarding the strikes.

Saudi oil exports were already under pressure due to Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz in the Gulf.

The Houthi-run Al-Masirah TV channel reported Saudi strikes on Sunday in the northern governorates of al-Jawf and Saada, stating that at least two people were wounded.

With Reuters and Agence France-Presse

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